Bus Operator
Salary

Earnings for Bus Operators in the United States come in at around $17.28 per hour on average. The bottom of the pay range sits near $11.35 per hour, and the top verges on $27.81. Residence is the biggest factor affecting pay for this group, followed by career duration. Most report receiving medical coverage from their employers and a strong majority collect dental insurance. For the most part, Bus Operators enjoy their work and report high levels of job satisfaction. The information for this snapshot was generated by responses to the PayScale salary survey.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

Job Description for Bus Operator

A bus operator is the person who drives and operates buses and shuttles, typically for local area transit and transportation services and companies. Bus operators typically work regular routes but must be familiar with the areas they drive and the regular stops along them. Additionally, bus operators must be well-trained in safe driving, as well as general safety and care for the passengers they pick up and drop off.

Most bus operators work for transit companies either licensed to or operated by local governments and jurisdictions. The operator typically will undergo training, not only to learn to safely drive the specific vehicles he or she will be assigned to, but also to recognize any problems with the operation of the bus itself. The bus driver will be expected to report any problems immediately, as equipment breakdowns can create huge scheduling problems for shuttles and regular service lines.

To work as a bus operator, a person must typically possess a variety of specialized drivers licenses that can be earned either through training programs offered by transit companies or separate, dedicated commercial driving schools. Bus operators also undergo on-the-job training and will usually be expected to work long shifts behind the wheel. Bus operators typically work shifts that cover weekends, holidays, and nights.

Bus Operator Tasks

Maintain good relations with general public, announce stops, direct and control passengers.

Bus Driver Job Listings

Search for more jobs:

Job Title/Company

Location

This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Bus Operators report a narrow range of specific skills. Most notably, facility with Safety Compliance and Customer Service are correlated to pay that is significantly above average, leading to increases of 38 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

Pay by Experience Level for Bus Operator

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

Bus Operators with more experience do not necessarily bring home bigger paychecks. In fact, experience in this field tends to impact compensation minimally. Although individuals who have less than five years' experience earn $35K on average, people with five to 10 years benefit from a notably larger average of $40K. After working for 10 to 20 years, Bus Operators make a median salary of $41K. Survey participants who have spent more than 20 years on the job report a predictably higher median income of $44K, demonstrating that compensation is roughly commensurate with experience in the end.

Bus Operator Advice

What do you wish you knew about your job when you first started out?

Bus Operator in Los Angeles:

"Be Aware Of How Difficult It Can Be Dealing With The Public."

Start everyday well rested with a positive attitude. The public will suck the life out of you if you let them. Answer every question as if its the first time you've heard it. Your day becomes a bit redundant after a while and you begin to realize no one listens, reads or pays attention at all.